Image pickup system, image pickup apparatus, and method of controlling the same

Abstract

In a method of setting an OSD function according to a related technique, it is not allowed to select various superimposing techniques. In a case where a monitoring camera supports a plurality of superimposing techniques, a user is supposed to select one of the superimposing techniques via a troublesome operation. In view of the above, an image pickup apparatus is provided which includes a reception unit configured to receive an acquisition request for information associated with an image superimposing method of the image pickup apparatus, and a transmission unit configured to, in a case where the acquisition request for the information associated with the image superimposing method of the image pickup apparatus is received by the reception unit, transmit information associated with the image superimposing method of the image pickup apparatus.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A monitoring camera comprising:
 an image sensor configured to pick up an image; 
 a reception interface configured to receive, from a client apparatus, an acquisition request to acquire superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing a content on the image picked-up by the image sensor; and 
 a transmission interface configured to transmit superimposing options, 
 wherein, in a case where the acquisition request is received by the reception interface, the transmission interface is configured to transmit superimposing options available in the monitoring camera. 
 
     
     
       2. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the monitoring camera to perform operations including: 
 setting the parameter which is selected in the client apparatus and is sent to the reception interface, 
 superimposing the content on the picked-up image based on the set parameter, and 
 outputting the image on which the content is superimposed to the client apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options are a list of selectable parameters. 
     
     
       4. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the content includes a text or an image. 
     
     
       5. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options include at least an on screen display (OSD) position. 
     
     
       6. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a text setting. 
     
     
       7. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a font color. 
     
     
       8. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a background color. 
     
     
       9. The monitoring camera according to  claim 1 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a time format. 
     
     
       10. A client apparatus configured to display an image picked-up by a monitoring camera with a content superimposed, the client apparatus comprising:
 a request interface configured to transmit an acquisition request to the monitoring camera for acquiring superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing the content on the image picked-up by the monitoring camera; 
 a controller configured to control a display of a user interface for selection of a parameter for superimposing the content on the image based on the superimposing options acquired from the monitoring camera; and 
 a sending interface configured to send at least a parameter selected by the user interface to the monitoring camera. 
 
     
     
       11. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the controller displays the user interface for setting a parameter, which is not settable to the monitoring camera, in a grayed out manner based on the superimposing options. 
     
     
       12. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the request interface transmits the acquisition request before displaying the user interface for selection of the parameter. 
     
     
       13. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the content includes a text or an image. 
     
     
       14. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the superimposing options include at least an on screen display (OSD) position. 
     
     
       15. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a text setting. 
     
     
       16. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a font color. 
     
     
       17. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a background color. 
     
     
       18. The client apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a time format. 
     
     
       19. A method of controlling a monitoring camera, the method comprising:
 picking up an image; 
 receiving, from a client apparatus, an acquisition request to acquire superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing a content on the picked-up image; and 
 transmitting superimposing options, 
 wherein, in a case where the acquisition request is received by the monitoring camera, transmitting includes transmitting superimposing options available in the monitoring camera. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 setting the parameter which is selected in the client apparatus and is sent to the monitoring camera; 
 superimposing the content on the picked-up image based on the set parameter; and 
 outputting the image on which the content is superimposed to the client apparatus. 
 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options are a list of selectable parameters. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the content includes a text or an image. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options include at least an on screen display (OSD) position. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a text setting. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a font color. 
     
     
       26. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a background color. 
     
     
       27. The method according to  claim 19 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a time format. 
     
     
       28. A method of controlling a client apparatus configured to display an image picked-up by a monitoring camera with a content superimposed, the method comprising:
 transmitting an acquisition request to the monitoring camera for acquiring superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing the content on the image picked-up by the monitoring camera; 
 controlling a display of a user interface for selection of a parameter for superimposing the content on the image based on the superimposing options acquired from the monitoring camera; and 
 sending at least a parameter selected by the user interface to the monitoring camera. 
 
     
     
       29. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein controlling includes displaying the user interface for setting a parameter, which is not settable to the monitoring camera, in a grayed out manner based on the superimposing options. 
     
     
       30. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein transmitting includes transmitting the acquisition request before displaying the user interface for selection of the parameter. 
     
     
       31. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the content includes a text or an image. 
     
     
       32. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the superimposing options include at least an on screen display (OSD) position. 
     
     
       33. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a text setting. 
     
     
       34. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a font color. 
     
     
       35. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a background color. 
     
     
       36. The method according to  claim 28 , wherein the superimposing options include at least a time format. 
     
     
       37. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to perform a method of controlling a monitoring camera, the method comprising:
 picking up an image; 
 receiving, from a client apparatus, an acquisition request to acquire superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing a content on the picked-up image; and 
 transmitting superimposing options, 
 wherein, in a case where the acquisition request is received by the monitoring camera, transmitting includes transmitting superimposing options available in the monitoring camera. 
 
     
     
       38. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium storing a program to cause a computer to perform a method of controlling a client apparatus configured to display an image picked-up by a monitoring camera with a content superimposed, the method comprising:
 transmitting an acquisition request to the monitoring camera for acquiring superimposing options available in the monitoring camera, wherein each of the superimposing options includes a parameter for superimposing the content on the image picked-up by the monitoring camera; 
 controlling a display of a user interface for selection of a parameter for superimposing the content on the image based on the superimposing options acquired from the monitoring camera; and 
 sending at least a parameter selected by the user interface to the monitoring camera.